Sweet Taste Of Temptation
by yEpErEk
Summary: What would you do if something that you want the most in the world was right there? Would you scarifice yourself for it... or would you never try? [Lust vs. innocence or in other words Trunks 'n' Goten / yaoi soon to be...]]
1. Face to face with enlightenment

Sweet Taste Of Temptation  
  
Author: yEpErEk "Closed minds always seem to be connected to open mouths" [volatile_vodka@hotmail.com]  
  
Paring: Lust vs. innocence... or in other words Trunks 'n' Goten...hmm well that's the plan at least  
  
Response: Hmmm if you are very desperate...then why not...I won't mind... I really won't ^_^  
  
Rating/Warnings: If you can't cope with emotional breakdowns, mawkish and nauseatingly sentimental rubbish and if anything resembling shonen-ai gives you the creeps...well I suggest you politely skip this page and go onto something more 'interesting'. Thank you for your co-operation ^_^   
  
***DISCLAMIER:*** Ehem here it goes - I don't even own a sane mind, vague sense of reality, the correct time dimension, fundamental abilities of coordination and speech, even the smallest writing talent, not to mention the striking deficiency of sense of humor... so how the hell could I own something like Dragon Ball or any part of it eh? Add to the above a very impractical brain and you'll know that I would have never come up with the idea for doing 'the bellow' for money... oh yeah, and if you are, by any chance, a person with a mind like a razor (sharp and _narrow_) then for your information I also am in no possession of that thing ningens call money, so don't waste your precious time and just don't sue me (I wouldn't have anything suitable to wear to the court anyhow...)... Hmm the only thing that is mine is the moss clearing, so any damage done to it is insignificant...(don't ask...)  
[P.S. I really don't understand ppl who hate disclaimers...^-^]  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sweet Taste Of Temptation  
  
Love is like a snake...  
...it wraps around you...  
...but if rejected - it will strangle you.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
He kept ignoring that irritating pricking at the back of his head and tried to focus on not granting all that pain any access to his mind. Clasping his jaws tight and feeling stinging sweat run down his face and onto his burning eyes, he desperately questioned himself just how much longer could he last. Ten minutes? Thirty? One hour? Two at the most and only if he pushed his body to its limits...  
  
He barely avoided that double punch, but the low knee kick brushed painfully against his calves, making him loose the rhythm. Yet, he still miraculously caught that incoming fist with both hands, only few, deadly millimeters from his agonizing nose. He somehow managed a small smirk and few hoarse words.  
  
"Looks like you are getting far too slow for me..." He wanted to add 'my friend', but stopped himself in time and just hovered there, panting heavily. {{Two hours?! As if... ! Fifteen minutes would be amazing...}}  
  
A smashing side kick was the only answer. And a very good one at that, because even though he managed to do the 'X' block with his arms, he still heard his ribs crackle warningly.   
  
Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward, attempting to push back his opponent with quick punches. Most of them missed or were blocked, but few, with lethal accuracy crushed into the vulnerable flesh of the neck and face. But that wasn't enough to stop his rival, who returned every blow, but aiming at the exposed stomach... yet luckily not always successfully.  
  
He knew that he couldn't keep up this pace... they been fighting for way too long now... Each part of his body screamed in pain, every muscle felt like it was being ripped apart and all the bones surely have been shattered a long time ago...  
  
Suddenly, he saw that ball of light come swirling towards him, at top speed. {{This is it... goodbye cruel world...}} He laughed at his own, sarcastic thoughts and made a last, desperate attempt... knowing that it would cost him all his energy...  
  
Without any warning, he appeared behind his surprised opponent, grabbing his arms into a deadlock and yanked him back, so that his rival's spine was painfully cambered and stopped him from any possible movement. He hold him tight in that tormenting embrace, until he felt his opponent powering down...  
  
When he saw the demi-Saiyan's hair loosing its golden shade and turning into its original, ebony black, he too powered down, loosened up the grip and leaned forward in order to whisper something into the other one's ear. But that was a mistake...  
  
The minute his cheek touched his rival's head, he felt something seizing his neck and few seconds later he found himself looking into two, startling blue pools. He wasn't even given time to gasp, yet alone turn golden... His rival just smiled evilly and made him fall down with one, good punch...  
  
He crushed into the earth, feeling the air painfully escaping his lungs and the world spinning crazily. When he felt something heavily landing on him, he still was laying there, stunned, in that huge crater that he had created with his own body.   
  
He slowly opened his eyes and saw that his rival had made himself quite comfortable on his sprawled body and was now happily crushing him with his evenly spread out weight to prevent any attempts of throwing him off. The bitter tastes of defeat crawled up his throat and into the mouth, which he opened to say something...anything... but only managed to silently spell out two words - "Get off."   
  
"What was it you said I? I didn't quite hear..." The harmless cruelty of his sarcasm was spoiled by the heavy breathing, thin streams of perspiration and slightly blushed face, which showed just how much this fight had cost him. For a second the ebony haired boy stared down into those two, naturally blue eyes, but feeling that the other demi-Saiyan was trying to pull free, got hold of his arms with one hand, pressing them hard against the ground and with the other brushed off few strands of blue hair from the comely face to get a better view of his victory, whilst smiling a typical, innocent, child-like smile of his. He then leaned down and whispered into his ear, "Come on Trunks. That's it. I won, even if you think otherwise." He paused for a second and slightly twisted his face, so that he was nearly touching Trunks' cheek with his lips, in order to catch some eye contact, but failing straight away as the blue-haired boy closed his eyes instantly. So, he just half sat, half laid there and breathed quietly, whilst regaining some energy.   
  
Trunks stop his struggling the minute he felt his friend's lips touch his ear, even if he didn't hear what he had said to him. He held his own breath, when he felt Goten's ones caress his face. When he felt the pleasant sensation tickle his body, he had to close his eyes, trying hard not to sigh. {{Damn it to hell! Not again. Is he doing this on purpose?! Or doesn't he just realize what he's doing to me? Kami his touch, his warmth, his smell...}} Indeed, Goten smelled very alluring, appetizing and inviting... {{Must... keep... control...}} He bit his lip and tried to think of all the reasons why fried cheese, onion sandwiches and grilled lobsters do not have a favorable place on his daily diet.   
  
Goten saw the azure-haired boy bite his lip so hard, that a little trickle of blood appeared. Scared that he was causing him some greater pain, he jumped off and pulled Trunks up to a sitting position, who only then opened his eyes with a long sigh.  
  
"Kami, sorry Trunks. I was just trying to tease ya. I didn't know that you were hurt so bad..."  
  
"I'm not." He got up slowly, feeling with relief that his body had somehow calmed down. For now... {{He really doesn't know what effect he has on me... and I'm not going be the one to tell him, that's for sure.}}  
  
"Then what...?" He was confused slightly - just a second ago he saw his friend's face lose all its color, but then immediately turn bright red again, his breathing slowed down dangerously and his body trembled, as if waves of pain were hitting him.  
  
Trunks looked at the other demi-Saiyan and sighed again, only to wave his hand in a superfluous manner. "Let's just say that... I'm very tired...."  
  
"Me too. You gave me real hard time... I must say, it's getting more and more difficult to beat ya."  
  
"Hey, it's not like you win every time! Actually you rarely do. You were just lucky today, that's all."  
  
"Aren't we just so full of ourselves... fine, whatever. I won't argue with a stubborn ass like you." He laughed, sticking out his tongue at Trunks, who had an urgent urge to grab that tongue... with his own mouth. {{Muuuust... keeep...coooontrol...}}  
  
"I'm not stubborn, I'm just stating the obvious and..." He paused in mid-sentence when he saw Goten take off the top of his training suit - a recent present from Trunks' mother. His eyes fastened to that brilliantly sculpted torso, now glittering slightly in the sunlight, from all the sweat that covered it.  
  
"Hey, are you..." Goten stopped, when he struggled with the belt of his trousers, designed of course by Bulma and thus impossible to open in the first six attempts. Trunks hearing his friend's words, jumped slightly and just as slightly started to panic, thinking that he had been caught on the very equivocal staring at his best friend's half unclad body.  
  
Trunks swallowed hard. "...am I what?"  
  
Finally managing to destroy the buckle and half of the belt, Goten looked up at the other boy. "Are you trying to start another fight with me? I think this eleven hour spar, which we just had, should do for now. I'm in no mood of battling you again...well not right at this moment." He smiled innocently, quite similarly to his father. "Actually, I'm in a mood for a good clean-up. Come on... Take off your clothes and let's go for a swim in that lake." He pointed to the large space of water behind his back and stared to pull off his trousers, not waiting for the other boy's reaction.  
  
Trunks felt his legs go all soft. Luckily for his tormented mind and senses, Goten started hopping around when trying to pull of his pants and finally ended up with his back to the blue-haired boy...and a truly wonderful back at that.   
  
His eyes traced down the curve of that spine and lower to the... {{Oh god damn it! Concentrate....}} ...mmmm...that ass was truly a rare sight... {{...on something else you fool!}} He half sighed, half groaned and with some effort turned his gaze away, slowly lifting in the air. Even though he had virtually no vim left, he knew that he had to try to get out of here...as soon and as quickly as possible... {{Before it's damn too late...}}  
  
As he gradually turned around, he heard a loud splash followed by Goten's even louder words.  
  
"Hurry up! The water is wonderful! Kami, I haven't felt this great in ages... The minute I'll regain my energy I'll race you to the other side!"  
  
As he took off, slowly gaining speed and trying to fight off the exhaustion, he still managed to hear Goten's worried shouts.  
  
"Hey what are doing? Trunks?! Where are you going? Wait for meeeeeeee...."  
  
But he didn't. He couldn't. He had to find a safe place to calm down... and he had to find it _now_!  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The small clearing was pleasantly hidden in the shade of the nearby trees and the soft moss, which covered most of the ground, looked more than welcoming. Half descending, half crushing, he ended up on the green pseudo-bed and fell asleep instantly, even though a sweet siesta was the last thing that he wanted.  
  
When he eventually opened his eyes, a strange feeling of danger tickled his mind and so he sprung to his feet, looking feverishly around. But everything seemed to be alright... As he sat down again, he vaguely remembered how he made it here, his dreamless sleep and hoped that Goten hadn't managed to follow him. After all, his ki was so low that there was practically no chance of finding him in this wilderness...  
  
The minute he recalled the last images of the ebony-eyed boy that he saw, a mixture of painful, cold prickles and irritably tender waves hit his still wearied body. He wanted to scream and moan at the same time, but most of all he wanted _him_   
  
{{So bloody what if I do? What difference does it make what _I_ want and need? After all Goten doesn't give a damn about me and my...No! He's not even worth of thinking about...}}  
  
Somehow he managed to get up again, trying hard to shut off anything concerning that boy... but it was so hard. That sweet smile, those beautiful eyes, that soft hair, that satin skin, that....  
  
"Arghhhhhh!" He threw himself at the first tree in view and hugged the coarse bark with all the desperation that he felt right then... but the painful sorrow and sadness soon gave way to even more painful anger and hopelessness, which made him swung back and crush his fist into the trunk, breaking the seventy old oak like a dry stick.   
  
Seeing the destruction, he felt slightly better and repeated his mad attacks on the innocent trees, so that soon the clearing increased drastically in diameter.   
  
But having annihilated the nth tall, woody plant, he felt even worse, realizing that his stupid problems and inability to cope with them, had harmed the blameless nature. {{Baka! Baka! BAKA! And what else are you going to do now? Go and kill people in the streets?!}}  
  
He collapsed onto the ground and leaned against one of the fallen trunks, his face hidden in his now slightly bleeding hands. {{I'm sick and tired of this situation! Is it my fault that my Saiyan blood has finally awoken... and that as a result I feel attracted to that... that gorgeous idiot?}} A weak wave of laughter trembled his body. {{Out of all the men, it had to be Goten, didn't it? I could have easily have coped if it had been Goku, Goten, Picolo... or even Yamcha. But nooooo... it had to be my best friend!}} He slammed his fist into the ground, making a large hole in the ground. {{Why him?! WHY ME?!}} The second fist followed, making a symmetrical cavity at the other side of him.  
  
A large tear rolled down his face. He couldn't take it any longer and he knew that sooner or later he'll either go completely insane or he'll do something that he will regret for the rest of his miserable life...neither of the possibilities was very tempting.  
  
For the first time in his life... no, for the millionth time in the past few weeks, he had cursed his Saiyan blood and when that didn't help he cursed Bulma and the rest of the ningens for raising him as one of them, until he eventually blamed everything on Vegeta for not intervening and not bringing him up as a full blooded Saiyan... but none of that made him feel better, it only increased his agony... his never ending agony of 'what is right' and of 'what he, himself, wanted', which in the end had torn him apart into two different...hmmm parts? people? Whatever it was, he didn't recognize neither of the two...  
  
Few more salty drops made their way down his fine features and he knew that he was on the brink of bursting into tears - something that neither of 'his' worlds accepted, as in both cases a young man was not allowed to show any weakness. But did he care? Of course not... so why did he care so much about 'the rules' when it came down to the most important thing - Goten?  
  
Because it was only an excuse. It was easier for him to cope with the truth when he knew that his ningen world would never accept or understand what he felt and what he wanted...and his Saiyan world? After all, he knew that this was normal...   
  
His smiled faintly when he remembered the day that Vegeta, his 'dear' father, had decided that it was time to educate his son about all the aspects of Saiyan heritage, which he had to understand and accept without one question...besides he was too surprised then to ask any questions...   
  
His smile grew even wider, when he recalled the face of his mother, who found out that Vegeta had told their six year old son about sex, reproduction and mainly gay relationships...and with very graphical words at that. Yep, she wasn't too happy about it, but there was nothing she could have done...just like there's nothing he could do now...  
  
At least he knew why this was happening, but that didn't mean that he accepted it... well, he didn't see anything wrong in being attracted to another man, but as long as it wasn't his best friend! The fact that he knew Goten so well, that they had spent so much time together and that they were so inseparable was the true obstacle, which was partly caused by his Saiyan world - the only world he knew that encouraged him to take his so far platonic affection and move on, to something 'bigger'...   
  
{{One thing contradicts the other...typical...}} The more he though about it, the more confused he got, but yet it made so much sense... to him. Ningens were against this possible relationship, which was good as it theoretically stopped him from doing anything in this direction. The Saiyans where for this relationship, but they on the other hand didn't accept love and/or any other emotions, leaving him torn between two options - should he love in silence and never touch Goten? Or should he let his lust and passion free, take Goten (even if it meant by force) and forget about any feelings?   
  
He didn't want neither of them - he wanted both of them...as one - a true human relationship...with another man. There was no way out this impasse... and that was actually helpful for him...  
  
His mind was at such a state that he saw logic where only nonsense existed. In his way of thinking, having his 'hands tied up' like this, gave him a good justification for doing nothing... another absurdity and yet for him the only thing that kept him sane. If anybody could hear his thoughts right then, they would have doubted strongly in his mental normalcy, but luckily nobody could... right?  
  
He got up and started to walk in small circles, trying hard to ignore any thoughts about his little obsession and yet he was fully concentrated on Goten. As if his mind wanted to torture its owner even more, he kept seeing different images of the other demi-Saiyan... none of them being decent... How he managed to stay relatively calm, was truly a wonder.  
  
He finally stopped by one of the untouched trees, and leaned against it, his forehead pressing hard against its rough surface. {{Ok, let's face it. I love Goten and there's no doubt about it... I've known about it for weeks now and yet I have made no signs, which would show or reveal what I truly feel...even when he unconsciously provoked me...}} He snorted quietly {{...anyone else in my situation, would have given in a long time ago, but I have a strong will. But so what, if this freaking determination will drive me mad soon...}} He sighed loudly, feeling familiar cramps in his chest. {{Or Goten, Goten.. if only you were different... I wouldn't have given a damn about what all those people thought... we could have been so happy together...}}   
  
And it was true, if the raven-haired boy wouldn't have been so innocent, so inexperienced, so completely unaware of anything... then he wouldn't have thought twice about what the humans did or didn't accept and the insignificant definition of Saiyan relationships or the lack of love in their world... after all, it was, as he kept constantly repeating, only a pathetic excuse... an excuse which covered the true reason of his anguish and torments.  
  
His biggest problem was that Goten was his best friend... his only friend...and a very attractive young man at the same time... whilst being totally innocent, naïve and vulnerable when it came down to such topics. He had no idea how Goten would feel or react if one day he'd just walk up to him and tell him that he adores him and that he wants to make passionate love to him right at that spot...or even better, he could just show him what he wants by one fervent kiss... and then what? Force Goten to have sex with him? Rape him? {{NO WAY!}} He could never, ever do this to him - he would hate himself for the rest of his life... {{No, I will not do anything against Goten...if I'll do anything it will be something that he wants too...}} But he knew that the demi-Saiyan wouldn't even understand {{I doubt that Goku was as practical as my father, as far as sexual education goes}}... yet alone feel the same...  
  
And that was it, that was the essence of the whole situation, the thing which paralyzed him and prevented him from even trying - he was scared of failure... he wouldn't survive rejection. But then again, at this rate, he wouldn't survive till next week and just lay down anywhere in order to die of misery... a very exciting perspective.   
  
His bitter laugh echoed in the deserted woods and he finally looked up, only to see that the day was ending. He wiped off the leftovers of his sorrow from his slightly dirty face. He knew that he had to go back home, clean up and go to bed, even if it meant another sleepless, horrible night...another night without him. {{Pull yourself together... I'm a man and I'm a Saiyan and even if I hate both, I have to act as they all expect me to...}} He looked down at his feet and prayed silently for some divine intervention which would solve this situation, bring him peace and happiness - a salvation that he desperately needed... before it was too late.   
  
A painful scowl appeared on his delicate face, followed by a heartbreaking sigh {{ I'll might have to suffer in silence, but at least I'll suffer with dignity...}} With those words, he took off, heading for Capsule Corps. and holding on tightly to one thought - he'll never let Goten find out... He'll never harm him... He'll never accept rejection...  
  
THE END  
yEpErEk  
[to be continued...somewhere, somehow] 


	2. Pain my only answer to life

Sweet Taste Of Temptation  
  
Part II  
  
Author: yEpErEk "I hope life isn't one big joke... 'cause I just don't get it" [volatile_vodka@hotmail.com]  
  
Paring: Lust vs. innocence... or in other words Trunks 'n' Goten...hmm well that's STILL the plan...  
  
Response: I might now show it too well, but I will be more than happy if do...   
  
Rating/Warnings: If you read part 1 then you know what to expect, but just incase it's otherwise, let me repeat myself -- If you can't cope with emotional breakdowns, mawkish and nauseatingly sentimental rubbish and if anything resembling shonen-ai gives you the creeps...well I suggest you politely skip this page and go onto something more 'interesting'. Thank you for your co-operation ^_^   
  
***DISCLAMIER:*** Bla bla bla don't own shit...don't understand? Let me put it more formally -- I don't even own a sane mind, vague sense of reality, the correct time dimension, fundamental abilities of coordination and speech, even the smallest writing talent, not to mention the striking deficiency of sense of humor... so how the hell could I own something like Dragon Ball or any part of it eh? Add to the above a very impractical brain and you'll know that I would have never come up with the idea for doing 'the bellow' for money... oh yeah, and if you are, by any chance, a person with a mind like a razor (sharp and _narrow_) then for your information I also am in no possession of that thing ningens call money, so don't waste your precious time and just don't sue me (I wouldn't have anything suitable to wear to the court anyhow...)...  
  
[P.S. I really don't understand ppl who hate disclaimers...^-^]  
  
Additional Note:   
  
I think that I need to put few words of explanation here [for my own sake... ], so here it is:  
  
* First of all, 'STOT' from the beginning was not a serious piece of writing...emmm what I mean is that I wrote it a mind exercise to get away from all the exam pressure that I was at the time, so in other words this was never supposed to be my best so don't think that it is [hmmm strange, some people actually liked it even though the stuff I really put my heart into has been so far ignored... maybe I'm trying too hard?]  
  
* Secondly, 'STOT' was supposed to be made up of only three parts - a quick introduction to the situation, the decisive confrontation and a humorous ending. Yet now, having finished the second part I don't see where and when this is going to end... well, not as soon as I expected. You might be happy about it as it means more of mine mawkish trash to read, but I'm getting worried... just with how much can you cope? Surely, it will get too boring and cliche at some point...hope not, but we all know that too much sugar gives you a serious tooth ache ...ah well... we'll see...   
  
Dedication: To [in order of appearnce]Kittie, Rei, vialana and lil Hawk [I expect a home delivery of a hell big box of cookies ^_-] for being the first four people: who said something nice about this fic [whilst not being paid for it], who actually enjoyed it and who motivated me to write more [well at least sooner than it was planned]. Well, guys this is for YOU so enjoy and be patient...there's more to come...^-^  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sweet Taste Of Temptation [II]  
  
" 'Cause I am lost...Living inside myself...Living inside this shell... Living outside your love...I am lost, somewhere inside my own dreams...Afraid of what life really means...Living without your love..." [Gino Vanelli]   
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
{{...15474...15475...15476...}}  
  
The basically unclad body raised and fell at a maniacally steady and constant rhythm. The absolute silence was gently ruffled by quick, shallow breaths, which escaped the sweat covered chest in a perfect synchronization with the movement of the body, as if measuring out the pace. The long hair was carefully tied up into a strict pony tail, whilst the usually bright and lively eyes were now firmly shut and only the lips kept, barely noticeably, moving - soundlessly spelling out the monotonous anthem of his torture...  
  
{{...15481...15482...15483...}}   
  
Twisted streaks of perspiration formed exotic patterns on the broad back, slowly rolling lower and lower, until they all joined up and flowed down the curve of the spine, as one big, stinging stream. All the muscles tensed and relaxed in an invariable and fixed motion, resembling a complex, but lifeless combination of pistons and pumps. Yet, the sinewy arms slowly started to tremble warningly, all the back muscle's quivered from the frequent, if not now permanent, cramps and the body seemed to be gaining more and more weight with every push. {{It won't be long now...}}  
  
{{...15493...15494...15495...}}  
  
His face twitched in an effort to smile, but it resulted in a painful spasm, which twisted his face horribly. He knew that he was close to his deranged aim of exhausting himself to death... well, at least to the desirable unconsciousness. {{Juuuuuust aaaaaa liiiiiiittleeeeeee biiiiiiit moooooooreeeeeee....}}  
  
{{...15497...15498...15499...}}  
  
He summoned his supposedly everlasting, but now quickly fading determination and forced himself to open his eyes...only to automatically shut them back, when the flood of caustic sweat instantly covered them. Biting hard his lower lip to the point where metallic taste filled his mouth, he tried again and somehow, this time withstood the immense pain... Half consciously and blinking viscously, he saw the floor move away...but soon it approached his face again... it was so dangerously close, but not close enough to ease his pain and end this madness... His face twitched and he succeeded in producing something which was supposed to be an evil grin, but only resembled an amazingly awkward constriction of the entire face... Staring down at the gray floor, only centimeters from his nose and completely unaware of the surroundings, he collected all the vim that he had left, tensing and preparing himself for the final effort... He only had push himself up once more and then....   
  
{{...1...5...5...0...nooooooo!}}  
  
The brawny body collapsed suddenly, as if someone had cut off invisible strings, leaving a wearied and miserable heap on the wet floor. For a second he didn't feel anything... but only for a very brief and volatile second...   
  
He laid there motionlessly, his wet body tangled up on the wonderfully cold ground, not even attempting to ignore the ubiquitous agony that now reigned the worthless 'leftovers' of his body. Yet despite his state, he still managed to evoke, increasing rapidly anger in his benumbed and yet disturbingly attentive mind...   
  
Primarily and quite pathetically he was just simply mad that despite being so close to succeeding, he didn't make it {{One push! All I needed was one bloody, freaking, pitiable push...!!}} Then completely absurdly he cursed the entire blameless world and anything else he could think of, for not listening to his silent and yet utterly desperate and naive prayers and as a result leaving him as damn conscious as he was when he walked in here those few good hours ago... But most of all he was irrefutably furious at himself for...   
  
...for still remembering...for still wanting...for still being so immeasurably stupid...   
  
{{I HATE YOU!}} He didn't move a muscle, unable to even pant properly and only his mind, fully awake, worked away at a hazardous rate, threatening some irreversible damage if he didn't stop soon that frantic stampede of thoughts. {{Hate who? Surely not _him_... And why not? I have all the reasons to... After all this is all his fault... It's because of him that I...that I...feel so bad...so lonely, so sad and so _bloody_ desperate...especially during those solitary nights...}} He managed to blink away a tear, slowly forming in his still tormenting eyes. {{If he would just show the slightest interest... a tiniest sign would be enough for me to go sky-high with happiness...one small, special smile would be enough to give me some hope...But nooooo... he has to be that cold, emotionless bastard who cowardly hides under that meaningless mask of my supposedly 'best-friend', unable to face the truth...that's it... he's completely unable of anything...of everything... of understanding, of accepting and of returning all that I have to give him... He's just too... unaware of the situation, blind of my state, ignorant of his true blood and... he's just not as Saiyan as I would like...no, as I would _need_ him to be...}} A quite sigh was the first sign of life he gave ever since he made that brutal and unexpected contact with the floor, but he still laid on his stomach with his nose painfully crushing into the smooth, but hell hard surface of the ground. {{But in the end it's only _my_ problem, which shouldn't concern anyone else...I have to deal with it myself...After all I have no right to involve Goten into my own, hormone driven, emotional problems, just like you can't force someone to love you just because you have such a caprice... Face it pal, you got a wretched and meaningless dilemma, you can't cope with it and so you are just purely pathetic, whilst being unable to blame it on anyone else but yourself... my suggestion... get laid and get laid soon...then just forget about it... you'll see... it's easy...}}   
  
"I HATE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!" His hoarse yell made his throat go aflame and the pounding in his head increased dramatically in frequency...[as if that was still possible]... whilst his body with a sudden spasm, stiffened and jolted upwards in his attempt to get up and continue his howl of defeat and sorrow, as he knew that this ill-defined 'YOU' from the very beginning had only one meaning - T R U N K S... A name, which he hated thoroughly, together with its owner.... His own, damned name...  
  
"Are you finished yet?" A mocking snicker. "With all the bellowing that is... or are you planning a little dance to go with it?"   
  
Sitting in a semi-comfortable position, which was something between a twisted kneel and a disordered crouch, he opened his mouth with a trenchant decision of performing another round of clearly audible and just too distinct wails...but the minute he heard the words of that unexpected intruder of his intimate privacy, his mouth instantly closed and his jaws slammed hard against each other with a loud clank, leaving him with shock of pain running up his skull and a slowly creeping in cramp of the lower limbs.  
  
He blinked few times and stared hard at the small but compact figure, which leaned against the control panel with arms folded across the brawny chest and a look that meant nothing good for anyone or anything...He swallowed and felt his ears go red, not only from embarrassment... as right in front of him stood the ultimate master of irony, sarcasm and deadly scowls - the Ouji himself... with a nasty smirk twisting his delicate lips.  
  
{{Uh-oh, must be my lucky day...}} He swallowed again and attempted to play dumb - "Am I finished with _what_ ?"  
  
Vegeta, stock-still, gazed for a moment at the lamentable mass on the floor, which resembled everything _but_ his son. One of his eyebrows moved upwards, indicating his increasing amusement with this whole situation.  
  
"Oh _please_ ...don't tell me that your crotch has taken over the control _already_..." When he saw Trunks face go purple and white at the same time, he barely stopped himself from cruel laughter and just snorted, whilst finishing off his sentence. "...since I somehow can't believe that my dear son, with all his coolness and solemnity, would give in so quickly to such a pitiful...hmmm... desire..." Another grim snort. "But that must be the case, since it looks like you have lost the fundamental ability of thinking straight and of comprehending your own actions."  
  
The azure-eyed boy felt like he was about to swallow his own tongue. He was expecting everything from cruel remarks about his weakness to angry shouts for being lazy, but... never this! {{Damn, as always I underestimated him... but for once I wished that he wasn't so freaking perceptive...}} Yet, he still pretended that he had no idea what the current topic of this enchanting conversation was.  
  
"I'm just training, that's all.... My... my crotch, as you subtly call it, has nothing to do with it...Besides, I really have no idea what you are insinuating..." He felt blood draining from his face and for some oblivious reason he had this weird sensation that the air had suddenly gained weight and now merciless tones of it were crushing him with a very irritating force. Actually... he's been feel like that ever since he collapsed...  
  
"Who are you trying to fool? Yourself or...maybe your untamed concupiscence?" He watched for a second as the boy sat down heavily and stared back at him with a mixture of bewilderment, uneasiness, slight fear and slowly sneaking in anger. "Which ever it might be, you'll fail soon enough...and I hope it will be very soon, 'cause I really want to win that bet..."  
  
{{This is not right... this whole situation is completely wrong...}} He licked his thoroughly cracked lips and took the bait without much hesitation...together with the whole hook - "...What bet...?"  
  
The Saiyan shifted slightly as if preparing for a cumulative moment and stared even harder into those amazingly blue eyes, piercing their owner to the floor. "The bet I made with Kakarrot..."  
  
{{Uh-oh... I know that this is going in the totally wrong direction...}} "I'm not sure if I want to know, but please enlighten me, by telling what that bet is about..."  
  
Vegeta smiled a very disturbing smile, as if he knew something that the demi-Saiyan didn't...or more like he knew what was about to happen and was actually looking forward to it...  
  
"Well..." Vegeta hesitated...undoubtedly on purpose - the small flames of anxiety in his eyes gave him away...   
  
{{Kami, this is getting too melodramatic for my capacity...}} "Well?!"  
  
"We both been wondering when you'll finally snap out of that blind trance of yours and get a move on..." That annoying smile was still there...   
  
"..." He silently waited for his father to continue, feeling more and more like punching him in order to wipe off that irksome grin.   
  
"So we bet about just how soon you'll get your hands on Kakarrot's brat..."  
  
{{Ok, now I know that I had too much information...}}  
  
"...I said soon, but that idiot said that it will take time since the urchin is _still_ unwilling..." Another, constantly returning snort.   
  
{{I can't believe I'm hearing this!}}  
  
"He'll loose... I know you too well...After all you have _my_ blood running in your veins, so I'm sure that it's a matter of days before you get what you want... It shouldn't be too difficult, since I know that you are the stronger one and so that brat shouldn't hold too much resistance..." That smile by now had revealed two rows of beautifully white teeth. "Yeah, as I think of it...raping that kid shouldn't be too big of a problem for you and you might actually enjoy it more than you expect..." The evil and ugly grin was a complete opposite of his casual, emotionless voice, but the demi-Saiyan never noticed it...   
  
Totally unaware and ignorant of the complete lack of vim what so ever, he sprung to his feet and heroically lunged himself at the immobile body in front of him, with furry gushing out of his every pore.  
  
Two seconds later, an even more deplorable heap of tangled up limbs with a mixture of sanguine fluids appeared by Vegeta's feet, who looked like he hadn't even blinked, yet alone moved.  
  
For few long moments there was deafening silence, but eventually followed by increasing in pitch moans and other overall signs of great torment, coming from the direction where the 'remains' of the demi-Saiyan were sprawled.   
  
Yawning and stretching, the Saiyan took a step over the quickly regaining conscious mass and headed for the door. "When you finally put all the forlorn pieces together into one distinguishable form, do please, come and look for me. I think we need to have a 'lil chitchat sonny'..."  
  
Vegeta was gone before Trunks managed to, literally, pull himself together and awkwardly rise from the floor, which by now had become his new acquaintance, one of the type, which was _always happy_ when you 'dropped in' but never quite managed to show it...well, at least not in the humanitarian way...  
  
He stood there wobbling dangerously and blankly looking around the empty room, until his legs gave in and he ended up leaning heavily against the control panel. He then tried to regain balance by using his arms and the metal column, which bore the large monitor and the rest of command devices, as support, but didn't quite succeed as the task turned out to be too complicated for his beaten up and worn out physique. So he just stared at the glass rectangle, which had large numbers on it and at first those figures didn't mean anything to him...but so enough some truth of his current situation was revealed, when he finally realized what the numbers really showed...   
  
A weak smiled formed on his blood stained lips, which quickly transformed into a vile grin, followed by a loud slamming of his fist on the metal board. {{Should have guessed straight away... my dear, loving and caring father has increased the gravitation level...}} ... leaving it at a point which normally caused him some serious problems with moving, so taking into account his current state it was truly amazing that he managed to get up from the floor... twice...  
  
Well, at least he knew why he didn't succeed in that final push - Vegeta must have been standing there for some time and chose the best moment to do that little prank of his... {{Very amusing, very very funny and totally freaking annoying!...and really... I seriously don't understand why mother thinks that he has a great sense of humor.}}   
  
He wiped his mouth with his arm, forgetting completely that he had been training in only a pair of tight shorts and so he was slightly surprised when he saw the large smudge of blood on his bare skin. It didn't look good at all... Few quick glances at the rest of his body revealed that the rest looked just as 'lovely' - partly because of all those hours of demented training, but mainly as a result of his unbelievably stupid assault on the 'poor 'n' harmless' Vegeta. {{Think next time... or at least check the gravitation level first...}}  
  
It was true - he was no greater obstacle for the Ouji, when the gravity was set at the medium level - a level which for him still was a challenge, but Vegeta didn't even notice a difference between it and the normal one. Well, his father had the obvious advantage of having been training in the Gravity Room for Kami knows how long...and he had just started.   
  
{{Who would have ever thought that I would come here to work out? And why? Because I have to have my mind focused on something... on something _else_}} A long sigh, like always at such moments, escaped his bruised chest as he switched off the gravitation and slowly made his way to the adjacent showers.  
  
{{But even this doesn't work... hmmm at least I don't have to see _him_ anymore...but I don't know if that is as good as I thought it would be...}} He untied his hair, letting it fall loosely to his shoulders, stepped into the cabin and turned on the hot water, which soon enough, soothingly massaged his tightened muscles and the various bruises which his father had left on his body as a 'memento'. {{After all, the lack of his presence in my life has only increased those everyday tortures and only the constant, unceasing drills in the GR somehow keep me sane, by making me so exhausted that eventually I'm unable to think about anything else but a warm, comfortable bed... but even then those small memories of him creep into my fatigued mind, starting with the fact that the bed is empty... oh when will this madness end? Maybe when I'll go totally insane or when I'll kill everyone, including him... or maybe _especially_ him?}} A faint smile quivered his lips, even though he was faaaaaar from being amused. {{Great, looks like I'm loosing it already...}}   
  
He grabbed for the soap and started the slow, caressing process of laving his fine body... wishing painfully that someone _else_ was there to help him with that. {{And then we have our dear Vegeta, who had decided that due to lack of other entertaining activities, he would pick on his son and his current emotional drama that he's so happily acting out... }} He scrubbed an especially painful spot on his torso and twitched as a result, wondering if real severe pain is the answer - the way to blissful obscurity. {{Yep, must definitely try it out... if training doesn't work, maybe lethal sparrings with dad would do the trick... as long as I'm able to pull him away from Goku and their 'spaaaaaarsssssss'...}}   
  
He dropped the soap and turned his attention to careful and difficult job of washing the long strands of silky hair and getting his fingers constantly tangled up in it. {{How ironical... Here I am caught up in an impossible emotional mire, whilst that passionless man who couldn't even show the slightest affection to his wife and son, got himself a first-class lover - the most naive man in the world... and I can't even communicate properly with the object of my adoration... either there's something seriously wrong with me or... hmm I have bad luck? Should I really get superstitious? Maybe I'll ask grandma for some love potions...}} He stopped his frantic process of basically ripping out half of his beautiful hair, whilst attempting to free his hands and blinked hard few times, before sighing again and continuing. {{Am I desperate or what? Besides what does he want from me anyway? He had his fun already...I think it was enough that he scared the living daylight out of me and at the same time provoked me into an assault, which clearly showed what a cheesy lover-boy I truly am}} He slammed his fists against the tiles, making them crack slightly and leaned his forehead against the wall {{Fuck, I had enough of this paranoiac situation!... I'll see what he wants and then... ahh hell... I'll either talk to Goten face to face or I'll leave this damn world once and for good... hoping that somewhere out there I'll find a good enough substitution of that gorgeous idiot...}}   
  
He turned off the water and grabbing for the towel, stepped out with a very determined look on his face. {{It's a deal.. either I'll find the guts to end this delusive absurdness and live a happy ever after or I'll pack my things and leave without one word, to never come back... So this is it - true happiness with Goten by my side or a cowardly life of a runaway in the cold unknown...}}   
  
Having put on some earlier pre-prepared clothes, he closed the Gravity Room and headed for the kitchen, where he was surely to find his father... and Kami knows what else.  
  
THE END  
  
yEpErEk  
  
[To be continued... somewhere, somehow] 


	3. Talk to me Vegeta

Sweet Taste Of Temptation - Part III  
  
Author: yEpErEk "Keep on staring and I might do a trick" [volatile_vodka@hotmail.com]  
  
Paring: Lust vs. innocence... or in other words Trunks 'n' Goten...getting closer, but not close enough yet _  
  
Response: I know you want to... so just press the right button and write me loads!  
  
Rating/Warnings: If you read part 1 and 2 then you know what to expect, but just incase it's otherwise, let me repeat myself -- If you can't cope with emotional breakdowns, mawkish and nauseatingly sentimental rubbish and if anything resembling shonen-ai gives you the creeps...well I suggest you politely skip this page and go onto something more 'interesting'. Thank you for your co-operation ^_^   
  
***DISCLAMIER:*** Bla bla bla don't own shit...don't understand? Let me put it more formally -- I don't even own a sane mind, vague sense of reality, the correct time dimension, fundamental abilities of coordination and speech, even the smallest writing talent, not to mention the striking deficiency of sense of humor... so how the hell could I own something like Dragon Ball or any part of it eh? Add to the above a very impractical brain and you'll know that I would have never come up with the idea for doing 'the bellow' for money... oh yeah, and if you are, by any chance, a person with a mind like a razor (sharp and _narrow_) then for your information I also am in no possession of that thing ningens call money, so don't waste your precious time and just don't sue me (I wouldn't have anything suitable to wear to the court anyhow...)...  
  
[P.S. I really don't understand ppl who hate disclaimers...^-^]  
  
Additional Notes:   
  
Uff finally finished this! Yay! It really took me longer than I planned, but I had a writer's block for some time. Even though I can now proudly present you the third and not last part of 'STOT', I still have to admit to one thing - I'm not too happy about it. I tried my best and yet it's still doesn't sound right [to me at least] _ It's slightly different from the other two parts as it lacks all those favorite and long descriptions of mine and instead has loads of speech, but nonetheless, I hope you guys like it and that it was worth waiting for... Enjoy ^_-  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sweet Taste Of Temptation [III]  
  
"The highest power... In lonely hours... The tears devour you..." [Savage Garden]  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Leaning gently against the metal doorframe, he silently watched the small figure move hastily around the kitchen, making confusing and hard to follow patterns with its chaotic routes, from time to time opening the mysterious cupboards and somehow managing to avoid all the deadly furniture... well, most of the time...  
  
"Daaaaamn it! Arggggghhh... who the hell put this stupid chair here?!"  
  
"You did."   
  
The blue-haired woman spun around, when she heard the unexpected voice and only then did she become aware of her son's presence. When she saw the tender smile on that delicate face, with few still wet strands of hair stuck to it, she returned the smile and quickly changed her mind - instead of some rather violent actions, she just carefully put the chair away.   
  
Having done that, she looked up at the still motionless boy and raised an eyebrow questioningly, whilst taking in the fresh scent of his recent shower.  
  
"So how's your training going, daarin?"   
  
He shrugged his shoulders due to lack of a better description, as he really didn't want to mention his father's interruption of his work out - it was enough that one undesirable person knew about his 'lil problem' and since it was Vegeta, he already felt worse than if Goten himself had known.  
  
"That good eh? Well, I saw your father go into the GR. Did he join you?" That innocent smile, together with her caring voice, clearly showed that she had no idea that she was treading on thin ice, whilst making her son very uneasy.  
  
"Yeah, he... participated...." He didn't want to go any further into this conversation, after all he only came here in search of his father and he wanted to be finished with _that_ matter as soon as possible.  
  
"Oh that's great. It's so nice to see that you two are finally getting along..."  
  
{{Yeah right...}} He remembered Vegeta's recent words, the look on his face and the horrible task of facing him again... none of that made him feel better, especially when his body was still fatigued and various bruises still made him feel uncomfortable. Sensing that his mother was far from being finished with this topic, he desperately thought of some possible way to escape.  
  
Luckily, the small divine intervention saved him from the rest of this quickly gaining in wariness dialogue...  
  
"Ummm mum... something's burning..."   
  
"What?! Arghhhhhhhh...." Bulma threw herself at the stove and frantically tried to save the results of her three hour sojourn in the dreaded kitchen.  
  
Seeing his chance, he was about to turn around and walk off, when he remembered something and risked a quick question, hoping that his mother was too preoccupied to ponder about it and to demand an explanation... after all, not everyday did he ask for such information.  
  
"Mum, where's dad?"  
  
"What? Emmmm... Ouch! I think he went to his room...Oh damn it!"  
  
He watched for a second the frenzied dance around the range, whilst nervously munching on his lip. He knew that he was no use as far as cooking went, so no point in helping - he'd probably only do more damage, but he still needed to know something else...  
  
"Emmmm.... Mum?...."  
  
After few more squeals, shrieks, groans and Kami knows what else, the blue-haired woman finally turned some of her attention to the demi-Saiyan.   
  
"What is it?"  
  
"And _where_ is his room...?"  
  
Hearing those words, Bulma dropped the pan, that she was currently trying to hold, back onto the stove and turned around to face the boy.  
  
For a moment they just stared at each other, the azure-eyed Demi feeling stupid and uneasy again, whilst the small woman seemed to be pondering about something hard. Finally, with a wry smile she spoke.  
  
"It's somewhere on the second floor... I haven't been there in ages... the 2nd floor that is, since I can't recall ever being _inside_ your father's room." Suddenly her face lit up. "Just go there and try each door, as all of them are shut apart form his...But why..."  
  
"Thanx mum!" He turned around, ignoring any further questions, which were sure to follow.  
  
"Trunks!"  
  
He twisted his head to glance at his mother, when he heard her suddenly angered voice.   
  
"Will you please tell my why you want to see your father?" She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, with a quite unpleasant look on her face and looking like a miniature parody of the second half of this twisted pair.  
  
"Oh it's nothing important really... and by the way...that thing is burning again..." Seeing his mother dash back to the smoking pan, he hesitated no longer and quickly headed for the stairs, wondering what was about to happen in the next hour or so... and if he would survive it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Half an hour and about twenty doors later, he finally pressed on a door handle which gave in and with a sudden burst of hope, he pushed the door with more force than needed. As a result he violently stumbled into the room, tripped over the carpet, brushed against something hard and ended up on the floor, under the window, with a small wooden chair... or more like the leftovers of it, underneath him.  
  
"You surely took your time..."  
  
Awkwardly, he turned around to face the owner of the icy voice and at the same time raised from the ground, revealing only few larger splinters on the white carpet.  
  
"It's not exactly the easiest task to find your hideout." He glanced at the scowled face and feeling his ears go all red, turned his attention to careful sweeping off the rest of the wooden pieces from his trousers. "I suggest some fluorescent arrows on the walls and floor guiding the way or just a handy map, which you could give out to the members of your family..."   
  
Only then did he look up, preparing himself for a slaughtering rejoinder, but his father's face didn't change a bit - the freezing scowl, with which he'd 'welcomed' his son, was still there... {{Maybe that's a good sign...}} He knew that what he had just said wasn't exactly the wisest thing to say, especially to _that_ man, but the whole day hadn't been one of his favorite, actually the whole week had been hell... add to that his earlier encounter with the Prince and you'll know why he was drastically getting annoyed with this whole situation.  
  
The Ouji was standing by the door, with his arms typically folded and after few long minutes of glaring at his son, finally shut the door with a not too gentle kick. He then glanced at what used to be a very uncomfortable, wobbling and useless piece of furniture and not even looking at the demi-Saiyan, spoke - "You _are_ buying me a new one and you are going to do that _soon_..."  
  
"Yeah, I'll get you a new chair from downstairs the minute you tell me what you want." He looked around the small, Spartan equipped and sterile, white room, feeling very uncomfortable and coming to one conclusion - no one in their sane mind would willingly want to live here... apart from his father of course. "Because if you wanted to continue your little, pathetic and miserable entertainment, which involves making more fun out of me...well... you could have easily done that in the kitchen or anywhere _else_ in the house, without making me come to this... this horrible cubical, which you attempt to call your room..."  
  
The Saiyan snorted and smirked slightly at the boy. "I'm glad to see that you recovering the ability to talk in the way _my_ son _should_ and that your mind hadn't gone that soft..._yet_"  
  
Before the blue-haired boy could say anything, Vegeta pointed at his small, hell hard bed and with a voice, which accepted no rejection, told him to sit down. Having done that, he moved and now leaning against one of the walls, just stared through the window for few seconds, before finally speaking again, his voice suddenly softer and quieter.  
  
"We need to talk seriously and I don't even have to say about what, since earlier on, in the GR you had reassured me that what I suspected all the time...was right... unfortunately." He still had his eyes focused on something outside, but he was aware that his son started to feel nervous again. "Before we get into a beautiful argument, just answer me one question... Is _he_ worth it?"  
  
He wasn't surprised, he wasn't shocked, he wasn't even puzzled... he was just on the brink of fainting....  
  
His fingers clenched forcefully to the white covers, which matched nicely the pale face and the widely opened eyes, with pupils the size of peas... His mouth opened and shut a couple of times and he had hard time deciding if he was suddenly lacking air or did he just forget to breathe...   
  
Eventually Vegeta turned his piercing gaze to the Demi, making him feel small... very small... and very, very stupid...  
  
"Well...eeee...hmmmm...Iiiii...." He could swear that his tongue had all of the sudden grown to the extent, that it just didn't fit in his mouth... and you expected him to talk?!  
  
"WHICH PART OF THE QUESTION DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND BRAT?! THERE ARE ONLY FOUR BLOODY WORDS IN IT!" The sudden thump of his sharp voice, was like a mighty slap in the face, followed by a bucket of freezing water and a finishing off kick in the ass.  
  
Having blinked few times and shaking the empty head, he finally pulled himself together and stopped pulling on the sheets, which by now where ripped in few places. He swallowed hard and took on the most serious and intelligent look that he could manage, so that his words would have the adequate solemnity...  
  
"I... Don't... Understand..."  
  
The Prince hearing that, slapped his forehead and let out a long groan of disbelief . {{And this is supposed to be my spawn?! Who the hell switched the babies? Wait a sec... The onna gave birth at home... If this is truly her son, the only thing which could be switched without me knowing would be... sperm? WOMAN!!!}}  
  
For few, long seconds he watched the lovely, kaleidoscopic chain of expressions, which suddenly took over his father's face. Half of them he didn't understand ... the rest were purely evil and he knew that this situation just couldn't end nicely. He was about to get up and sneak out, when the Ouji switched back to reality.  
  
"Shove your ass back onto that bed - I'm not finished with you yet... and the more you avoided it, the more painful I'll make it... sooo I encourage you to put up some resistance..." With the last words, the Saiyan very unequivocally cracked his knuckles... twice...  
  
By now the azure-eyed boy had somehow regained control and having thought that nothing can be worse than what he currently felt inside, folded his arms and glared at the other man - looking everything _but_ timid, even though his palms where all moist already.  
  
"Fine... talk shit to me... flush all your dirt onto me... rub in all the salt into my wounded mind and watch me cower by your feet... only to see me swung at you in the least expected moment!... If you are searching for enemies within your own family... If you are foolish enough to think that my control has no limits and that I won't eventually fight back, then go on... TRY IT... I'll kill you one way or another... and trust me - it will be sooner rather than later."   
  
He didn't realize when exactly he got up or when his hands formed lethal fists. He was completely unaware of his narrowed eyes and the devastating inferno burning inside of them. All he knew was that there was a very thin shred of sanity stopping him from commencing a battle with the still slightly smirking man in front of him.   
  
But all his wrath, furry and hate melted, when Vegeta started clapping...  
  
"Well done boy. Not only did you prove just how much worth that pitiable spawn of Kakarrot's is to you, but additionally you saved me... from some tiresome conversation with your mother." When his son raised his eyebrows at the mentioning of Bulma, he just shrugged and sat carefully on the table. "Never mind that. But having finished with that nice introduction, how about we talk about something more important..." He paused when the Demi returned to his original position on the bed, pretending to ignore his father's words, but both knew that he was listening with all his heart. "How about you tell me, what exactly you are planning to do and when will you finally finish this dumb game of yours?"  
  
"Why? So that you can win that ridiculous bet of yours...?" He still felt the strange heat inside and the tickling in his arms, but he knew that the adrenaline rush would be over soon... unless his father decides otherwise with his unpredictable actions or words. "I still can't believe that you got that idiot into it... come on, it's Goku that we are talking about..."   
  
"Not a very nice way to talk about your future father-in-law. Awww please don't tell me, that your are not planning a fluffy wedding with lots of pink balloons and slobbish kisses and a big creamy cake... After all, you wouldn't want to miss out on the wedding night...Ahh wait a sec... You two are probably gonna get some action, before you even start planning that ridiculous ceremony..."   
  
"Watch it..."  
  
"Or what?" Vegeta's smirk had something truly evil hidden in it. Any normal person would shiver at the mere sight of it, but Trunks himself had a similar look on his comely face and a simple, ugly grin wouldn't impress him... at least not right now. "Or you'll pathetically attack me... just like you did before? Are you really prepared to make a fool out of yourself again? I had hopped that your sudden interest in the GR would only do you good, but... but after the lovely show earlier on, I see that each work out, only shrinks the leftovers of your brain. Which brings me to my next point..."   
  
For a second the eyes of the two men met, when the Demi unconsciously revealed his true interest in Vegeta's words. Some melodramatic tension instantly appeared in the room. But just as quickly as he looked up, the azure-eyes boy dropped his eyes to the floor and stared at the carpet with great determination. The Saiyan seeing this, snorted quietly and taking a deep breath, continued...  
  
"How in the bloody world, did you ever believe that that imbecile would bet with me about something like _this_ ?!" He saw his son give him a quick and very surprised glance. "Looks like you have some work to catch up with... It will be wiser if you actually knew your father-in-law, as otherwise the happy ever after, that you're so keen on, might turn out to be more complicated than you thought. Kakarrot might be an idiot, but an idiot that you shouldn't underestimate... You know, if..."  
  
That nasty burning returned to the demi-Saiyan's eyes, when he started staring at the small man again. His body started tensing once more and he felt a familiar tickling in his hands...   
  
"Will you stop with that shit?! Don't you think it's enough already? I get your point... So fine, you wanted to have a little fun, thought of some ridiculous story and provoked me into an assault. Hope you're happy now, but the next time you're bored - I suggest you chose someone more challenging... Besides, I don't give a damn about Goku and what he does or doesn't do... Just as long as he stays out of my way..."  
  
"Well, well... Someone's finally getting a backbone, but somehow I don't think that that's enough. But as far as Kakarrot goes - you have nothing to worry about. That baka is completely unaware of the fact that someone's trying to get their sticky, little hands on his innocent and untainted brat." He ignored that nasty hiss that unconsciously escaped the Demi's lips. "Actually, Kakarrot seems to be completely ignorant of everything else...of things, which should mean something to him... of..." Vegeta hesitated and briefly closed his eyes.   
  
For a second Trunks couldn't understand what he had just heard and saw, but the obvious truth hit him nearly straight away and it almost made him gasp - his father was talking about _them_... those last words where about him and Goku! Did it mean that he was wrong all the time? That maybe the Ouji didn't get himself that 'first class lover', like he had been suspecting all the time? Did this mean that his father faced the same problem, that he had been struggling with for weeks?! If yes, that would explain a _lot_ of things, starting with the reason why they where having this conversation in the first place...  
  
"Father..." He whispered unintentionally.  
  
Vegeta's eyes snapped opened and his voice sounded very harsh... maybe even harsher than he intended. "But all of this crap still hasn't given me any answers! You still haven't told me what you want to do about..."  
  
"Nothing." That one word was firm and strong. He said it gazing boldly into the older man's eyes and it sounded like a challenge.  
  
"Oh great. Yeah, that's very smart. Just leave it as it is and maybe things will be alright." Something strange and new crept into his father's voice and he had hard time guessing what it was. Maybe care...? "But guess what brat... things are _not_ and will _not_ be alright! The sooner you realise that, the better for us all. Oh and if you think, that I'll just stand and watch, then you are badly mistaken!"  
  
He just blinked and tried to close his mouth, which had automatically opened from the shock. He couldn't understand this outburst, this anger and he even had a problem grasping the true sense of the words. All he knew, was that he was a witness of something new and strange... he was seeing a new side of his father, but what it was exactly, he couldn't tell...  
  
"I don't understand..."  
  
"Oh don't you start all over again! YOU HEAR ME?! Stop pretending to be an idiot! I won't believe in all that balderdash of yours! Maybe you enjoy fooling yourself, but I won't have it." When he saw, that the astonishment and surprise in the eyes of the Demi where sincere, he took few deep breaths and started again... very slowly and clearly. "Fine... I'm locking up the GR for good and don't even think of asking the onna for help - you're banned from it. That's my final word. No more deranged work outs, since so far you've been only doing more damage to yourself than necessary."  
  
"What the...?" He wasn't sure if the Prince was only mocking him or was he seriously serious...  
  
"Don't tell me that I have to explain _even_ that! Gees, you're in a worse state that I thought!" For few seconds he just tapped his fingers against his lap and stared at the azure-eyed boy, who nervously looked back, with many weird thoughts running through his cramped mind. "First of all, it stops you from finally doing something about this demented situation. And shut your mouth boy, I'm speaking now! I've been watching you, ever since you asked me for permission to use the GR, you've been wasting your time there and pretending that nothing outside of it exists. You might think it's alright, but lying to yourself sooner or later will prove to be the worst policy possible."  
  
He rubbed his forehead trying to understand what was really happening. The man in front of him was everything _but_ his father - there's no bloody way that the Prince would ever describe time spent in the Gravity Room as _wasted_. He had this urge to scream at the person in front of him and ask what exactly he did with the true Ouji, but luckily he blamed in it all on his own tiredness and kept quiet.  
  
"Secondly..." The Saiyan's face become very serious and the Demi had felt this unpleasant shiver run down his spine. "When did you have your last meal?"  
  
"Excuse me?" This conversation just couldn't get any weirder...  
  
"Are you even listening to me boy?! Do I really have to spell it out to you? Read my lips brat - When did you have something to eat? Do you even remember?" Vegeta was leaning dangerously forward, making the table shaky more with every minute, but the decreasing distance between him and the blue-haired boy only build up the already thick tension, which hovered in the air.  
  
He swallowed quickly and tried to divert the Saiyan's attention. "What does that got to do with this conversation? What sort of question is that anyhow?"  
  
"It's a plain and simple question, which requires just as an obvious answer to it. So, just stop getting on my nervous and ANSWER! BEFORE YOU'LL BE SORRY THAT YOU GOT OUT OF BED THIS MORNING!" His face was still dead serious, and the sudden lack of any kind of smirk or grin made the whole situation even more strange and uncomfortable.  
  
Actually, he was already sorry... sorry that he came to this insane place and that he got himself pulled into this abnormal conversation, which anytime now would make one of them blow.  
  
"In the morning..."  
  
"Today's, yesterday's or maybe last week's one?"  
  
Silence suddenly appeared. Very disturbing silence and the Demi wasn't very willing to brake it. He knew the answer, but what he really wanted to say was a lie. But lying to Vegeta was a dangerous and slippery thing to do. Eventually he just sighed and coming to the conclusion, that might as well stop playing games, said the truth...  
  
"I don't remember..."   
  
The Ouji got up from the table and started walking around the room, his forehead wrinkled and face dulled as if he heard something that he didn't expect to hear. Yet he had been suspecting this kind of an answer from the beginning, but he was now faced with the obvious problem and for the first time wasn't too sure how to deal with it...  
  
Finally, he stopped and spun around to face his son. A small smirk curved his lips, but it was only a pathetic cover up of his true distress.  
  
"Do you realise what you have done to yourself?! Does that pathetic excuse for a brain grasp the size of damage that has been created? Trunks do you know in what a pitiable state you are?!"  
  
The azure-boy dropped his head and for few moments didn't dare to look up. He vaguely knew what his father was talking about, but for all this time he had been pretending that things were alright... he had been evading this problem... for his exhausted mind everything was more or less alright...  
  
"How much weight have you lost in the past three weeks?" All the anger vanished. It didn't matter if he liked it or not, but true care and increasing worry was easily heard in his voice. But the Prince knew that this situation was way too serious to play his usual games of putting up masks.  
  
"Dunno... about thirteen pounds..."  
  
"HOW MUCH?! KAMI TRUNKS, YOU BLOODY BAKA!" He grabbed the Demi by the shoulders and started shaking him violently, but the boy held no resistance... he just stared into the Ouji's eyes with a look of total hopelessness.  
  
Eventually Vegeta let go of his son and sat heavily on the bed, nearly pushing the boy of it.  
  
"I've been suspecting for some time now, that you stopped eating. But taking into account the onna's cooking, it didn't seem very surprising. I blamed your sudden weight lost on all those work outs. But since, most of the time you wear baggy cloths, it wasn't so obvious. Only today, when I saw you in the GR, did the truth hit me. Kami, Trunks you look basically like a skeleton with bits of muscles stuck to it!" He turned around to look at the very quiet and still boy. Worry was clearly seen on the Prince's features. "I don't think you even realize what an absurd and insane thing you've done. We, Saiyan's need few times as much food as the ningens do. So, any sudden lacks in our diet, do us as twice as much harm as it does to them. I never even though about what would happen if one of us ever stopped eating all together. And do intense training at the same time? It's impossible!" He grabbed the Demi's neck and brought his head close to his own face. "Look at me brat and understand every word that I say. YOU ARE KILLING YOURSELF! I don't know if you are doing it on purpose or not, but I'm going to put a stop to it right now. I will not allow my spawn to have anorexia or any other such shit. Even if it means shoving food into your throat and making you swallow with strong punches in the stomach, then let it be - I'll do it and I will do it every single time, until you start eating properly. And one more thing..." For few mercilessly long seconds he gazed at the pale face of the blue-haired boy. "I'm going sort out this fucking dilemma of yours once and for good. I'm going to talk to that brat of Kakarrot's and tell him everything, since you are incapable of it. This way I'll solve the whole paranoiac situation at its roots... and maybe then life will be normal again."  
  
Hearing the last words, Trunks brutally yanked himself free and jumped to his feet, with clenched fists by his sides.  
  
"NO YOU WON'T! YOU HEAR ME? DON'T YOU DARE DO ANYTHING!!! I SWEAR, I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU TRY!" He felt awful dryness in his mouth and the room seemed to spin slightly, but he ignored it and only fastened his deranged eyes to the figure on the bed.  
  
Vegeta slowly got up and raised his fist in the air, with the obvious intention to strike. But he saw the sickly paleness of his son's face and the abnormal burning in his eyes... and hesitated.   
  
That was enough for the Demi to react and hit first. The punch wasn't strong, by nonetheless made the Ouji stumble backwards, with surprise suddenly appearing on his face.  
  
"Fine, you can force me back into eating. I accept that and even understand that I _might_ have a problem with it. But you will _not_, I repeat... YOU WILL NOT SAY A WORD TO GOTEN!"  
  
"Or what brat?" The familiar smirk was back his face and he already had his arms folded across his chest.  
  
Very unpleasant silence reappeared and for few minutes, the two men just glared at each other, both prepared to attack at any second.  
  
"Or I'll..." He hesitated, but he knew that he had no choice. It might be cruel and unfair for him to use _this_ against his own father... But then again, how many times had Vegeta been fair or nice to him? Eye for an eye... "Or I'll sort out your _problems_ as well."  
  
"What do you mean urchin?"  
  
"Since you're so keen on helping me out with my love dilemmas, I'll be just as _nice_ and have a lovely conversation with Goku. But you know, I'm not very experienced with these things, so don't be too surprised when I'll spoil everything for you..." A vile grin twisted his face into something repulsive and yet he had never looked so similar to his own father before.  
  
Vegeta very briefly went pale, but quickly red furry exploded in him and before Trunks could even react, the Prince had moved. Suddenly he grabbed the boy by the shoulders and without even one thought of hesitation, did the thing he that he really badly wanted to do right at that moment...  
  
The Demi felt a spasm of pain spread though his back and a nasty thumping in the back of his head, together with a deafening crash, which echoed through the whole house. When Trunks eventually looked up, he was extremely surprised to see what he did, since he still didn't realise what exactly happened. He found himself in the corridor, sloping uncomfortable against the wall, with the leftovers of the large white door around him and the Ouji standing calmly in the doorway, with a big smirk across his shapely features.  
  
Yet, despite the return of the Prince's normal expression and posture, the azure-eyed boy still managed to spot those tiny bits of pain in the corner of his eyes and realized that he had hurt his father much more than he had intended... But there was no return now...  
  
"Fine. Be that stupid, stubborn ass that you are, but don't you think that you got me scared in any way. I really don't give a damn what you'll tell Kakarrot..." His voice was strained and had a hissing sensation to it. It was clear, that despite his mild look, the Prince had hard time controlling himself and didn't enjoy the taste of hypocrisy that he was so boldly acting out. "I can't be bothered to do anything with you right now... BUT... yes there's a 'but' kid. You have three days to sort out this situation with Kakarrot's spawn and after that I'll do it myself, and trust me - I'm not exactly subtle or gentle in any case..."  
  
The Demi slowly raised from the floor, feeling his body stiff and tight. He glared into his father's eyes and wondered if he should risk saying anything...  
  
"Three days brat - that's all you got and I think that that's more than enough to set your lust straight." His voice still lacked that typical ease with which he usual spoke. "And one more thing. I'm seeing you ever fours hours in the kitchen, eating a _decent_ meal and I mean decent by the standards of Saiyans. Try not to eat and as I said - I'll shove everything into you by force. Try being even five minutes late and I'll make sure that your life will become truly miserable. Try not coming and I'll..." The sudden cut off of the sentence said it all and made the blue-haired boy swallow hard.   
  
Trunks turned around slightly with he intention to walk off, but looked back at his father and said very quietly - "I won't tell Goku a thing, Dad..."  
  
For a brief moment the Prince looked like he was about to attack again, but his face suddenly smoothed out, leaving only a faint grin. "Let me guess.... Eye for an eye?"  
  
The Demi just started back, trying to understand what his father was trying to tell him, but before he could say anything in return, the Ouji slammed his fist against the doorframe and roared - "GET OUT MY SIGHT BRAT, BEFORE I DECIDED TO KICK YOUR SKINNY ASS TO THE NEXT DIMENSION! AND JUST TRY REPEAT ANY OF THIS CONVERSATION TO ANYONE AND I SWEAR - YOU'LL FEEL MY TRUE WRATH FOR THE REST OF YOUR SHORT AND VOLATILE LIFE!"  
  
Before anything else could be said, Trunks took off and in a matter of seconds found himself by the stairs. He felt very confused and right all he needed was his own bed and few, long hours of peace...  
  
~*~*~*~*~   
  
Meanwhile in the kitchen Bulma stared intensely at the ceiling wondering if any more bits of it were going to fall onto her head. Just few minutes ago, she clearly heard a loud sound of destruction of some sort and instantly thought of her dear son and that maniac, which unfortunately called himself her husband. She sighed and knew that something bad had happened. She turned around and looked at the small figure by the table, who too was gazing up, hypnotized....  
  
"Bra, go and see if you brother is alright..."   
  
"But why...?" The small girl looked slightly confused.  
  
"Just go and do it, as I strongly doubt that your father wasn't very 'nice' to Trunks..." When she saw her daughter get up and leave, she quickly added few words. "Oh and do find out why those two had such a long talk in the first place."  
  
"Yes mammy."  
  
~*~*~*~*~   
  
He slowly took off his clothes and leaving only his black boxers on, sat on the edge of the bed and stared for few minutes at his reflection in the large mirror.  
  
{{Father's right... I look horrible....}}   
  
His face twisted into a painful grimace, when he realized just how bad he looked... With a sigh, he leaned back and dropped onto the bed. Minutes passed and he just stared at the white ceiling, trying to sort out all those things that he had heard today... and said, but nothing made much sense... although more or less he was aware of what he should do now... and didn't like it one bit.  
  
Suddenly he heard light tapping on his door and without moving, shouted - "Go away mum! I'm fine and all want to do is sleep now. So, leave me alone please!"  
  
He then closed his eyes, with a true intention to nap a little, but raised abruptly when he heard his door open slowly.  
  
"I told you that... Oh Bra it's you. What do you want daarin?" His face instantly lighted up when he saw his little sister, who closed the door and swiftly made her way across the room and into his laps.   
  
She hugged him tightly and leaning her head against his still broad, but somehow slightly sunken chest, whispered with her soft and sweet voice. "Are you alright Trunks? I heard this loud..."  
  
"Yes, yes. I'm ok. Don't worry, it was only me and Daddy training."  
  
"Upstairs?"  
  
"Emm yes and we accidentally broke a door. But we'll put a new one in soon. So, tell, what have you been doing lately?" He caressed the soft hair of the tiny Demi. "Bra?" When he still heard no answer, he looked down and to his surprise found, that the girl was fast asleep, but still clenching tightly onto him.  
  
With a sigh, he gently lowered himself to the bed and cuddle his sister back. He closed his eyes again.   
  
{{When I was her age everything was simple... so simple... and even if I had a problem I always could do some trick and get myself out of trouble... no one every realized...well apart from Vegeta...}}  
  
His eyes snapped open, when the sudden idea hit him. {{A artifice! That's it... If I can't just tell him straight in the face, then I'll use a trick and sort out this whole bloody situation...}}  
  
He gently shook the sleeping figure. "Hey Bra, does mum still have that electric shaver?"  
  
"Mmmmm.... In her bathroom eeeee somewhere in the cupboard *yawn* why?" Her little eyes stared at him intensely, as she quickly sensed that something was going to happen.  
  
"Do you want to help me in doing a little trick on everyone?"  
  
Bra sprung to her feet and started jumping up and down on the bed. "YES! YES! YES!"  
  
Trunks laughed and grabbed his sister, back into his embrace. "Shhhhh Bra! It has to be a big secret and you _really_ have to help me. First of all you have to get me a...."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
THE END  
  
yEpErEk  
  
[to be continued... somewhere, somehow] 


End file.
